Electrical connector



Jan. 25, 1944. P. A. PON-nus ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 1'7, 1941 Hyg WITNESSES:

INVENToR s. .u Y n M n O nw n Y W r P Patented Jan. 25, 1944 j UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicEf ,y 2,340,073 .l ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Peter A. Pontus, ,East Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to Westinghouse .Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a lcorporation of Pennsylvania Application 'December 17, 1941, Serial No. 423,367 4 claims. (ci. 173-324) My invention relates, generally, to connectors and, more particularly, to connectors for electrical apparatus.

In the construction of electrical apparatus oi certain types, particularly electric motors and generators having preformed windings or coils, it is necessary to provide connectors for joining the different conductors. y

An object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide a connector which shall be simple and ecient in operation and which may Ebe economically manufactured and installed.

A more specic object of my invention is `to provide a connector which may be made suitable for joining conductors of a variety of predetermined shapes and sizes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a devicewhich functions as a mechanical spacer as well as an electrical connector.

A further object of my invention is to provide a connector which may be readily made in different sizes to provide different spacings between the conductors to be joined.

Still another object of my invention is to Aprovide a connector which may be readily formed by utilizing tools of a relatively simple design.

Other objects of my invention will be explained fully hereinafter or will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

According to one embodiment of my invention, a connector may be made in two pieces from any suitable material by forming a closed loop for a conductor at one end of each piece Referring kto the drawing, and v,particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, the connector shown thereinjcomprises two members I0 and II which are identical in size and shape and, therefore, 'may be formed by utilizing the same tools. The members vI0 and II may be made from copper, brass, aluminum or other suitable material.

As shown, the member I0 is provided with a closed loop I2 of a rectangular shape and 'an integral shank portion I3. The member II is provided with a similar loop I4 and a shank I5. The connector illustrated is designed for use with rectangular conductors, however, the loops may be shaped to receive conductors of other shapes, if desired.

As shown in Fig. 2, the connector functions as a mechanical spacer as well as an electrical connector for vthe conductors. It will be seen that the dimension A, which determines the distance between conductors, depends upon theV length of the shanks I3 and I5, this length being different for each spacing desired.

However, a relatively inexpensive adjustable tool' can be used for making these connectors as the shanks can be made any desired length y without tool change or with a slight change in and providing integral shanks which overlap a predetermined distance, thereby determining the spacing between the conductors. The two pieces may be secured together by brazing, welding, riveting or other suitable means and they may be identical in shape and size or they may be slightly different in shape.

For a, fuller understanding of the nature and objects of my invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is an exploded view of a connector embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a. view, in elevation, of the assembled connector; o

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view, of the connector shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of a, modied form of the connector; and

Fig. 5 is a view, in elevation, of the assembled connector shown in Fig. 4.

the tool. Since the loops may be formed around a mandrel, it is apparent that the present connector can be produced in large quantities at a low cost, which is important to the manufacturers of electrical apparatus which must be sold on a highly competitive market.

As shown in Fig. 2, the two members l0 and II are assembled together with the shanks so overlapping that the end of the shank I3 abuts the end of the loop I4 at a joint I6 and the end of the shank I5 abuts the end of the loop I2 at 'a joint Il. The two members may be secured together by brazing or welding the joints I6 and I 'I or by placing rivets through the Shanks. The conductors are preferably soldered in the loops to insure good electrical contact. I-Iowever, they may be wedged or riveted in the loops, if desired.

In the modified form of connector shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which like parts are designated 2z e i 2,340,078

The dimension A is governed by the length of the shanks I3 and I5, as explained hereinbefore. Furthermore, the loops I2 and I4 of Fig. 5 may be formed by a vcheaper bending operation since it is necessary to form only one inside bend I8 in 5 each piece instead of two, as in the connector hereinbefore described.

From the foregoing descriptiongit is` apparent; that I have provided a combinedfconnec'to' and spacer which is suitable for making connections 10 for the windings of electric machines and which" has numerous other applications. It4 is als`q...rap parent that the present connector may be man factured at a low cost and maybereadily utilized in electrical apparatus.

Since numerous changes `may be fmade .inE the' above-described construction, and different em- `-`eachl member having a closed loop portion at one 'end andfa, straight shank portion integral with he loop portion.,` the end of each loop portion exnding parallel to` and overlapping its shank portion fto-abut the end of the shank portion of the bodiments of the invention maghbemadewithguh othehmember, said shank portions being overdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof, it I lap d land secured together between said loops. is intended that all matter contained in the Vforel .L20 -4flAconnector comprising a pair of members,

going description or shown inthe accompanying drawing shall 'be interpreted `asj'illustrative and, not inalimiting sense. 4I claim as .my invention:

A' 1. A connector` comprising a pairofmernbers, 25

each miember having a closed loop por-tionat one, end and a, single shank portion 'integral'wipl the loop prtion, the end of each loop portion extending parallel to its shank portion to abut the end of the shank portion of .the other mem-` loop" portion, the end of each loop portion extend;

ing parallel toits shank portion to abut the end ofthe 'shank portion of the other member, said abutting' ends being secured together, and the shank 'portion of one member being in alinement Withone side of the loop portion of the other member.,

" I 1 .PETER A. PONTIUS. 

